raison d'être

raison d'être

The fundamental reason for something or someone to exist; the sole or most important purpose for someone or something. From French, literally "reason for being." I know it's something of a cliché, but my children really are my raison d'être.We've always prized serious social commentary as our magazine's raison d'être.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.